Embodiments of a User Equipment (UE), Evolved Node-B (eNB) and methods for communication in accordance with a packet convergence and link control (PCLC) layer are generally described herein. The UE may receive, from a Fifth Generation (5G) eNB, a first group of medium access control (MAC) protocol data units (PDUs) that include PCLC PDUs. In accordance with PCLC sequence numbers (SNs), the UE may reorder the PCLC PDUs and may decipher the PCLC PDUs. The UE may receive, from a legacy eNB, a second group of MAC PDUs that include packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) PDUs encapsulated in radio link control (RLC) PDUs. The UE may reorder the RLC PDUs based on RLC SNs and may decipher the RLC PDUs based on PDCP SNs that are exclusive to the RLC SNs.